cleankutazn

Standard are LED headlights and optional are active LED, I didn't know that you can have led headlights reflector style??

threeMBs

Wait a minute. There is a noticeable difference how 2010 E350 vs. 2012 E350 (same engine as in 2014) drive. Especially noticeable during acceleration from stand still with A/C on and during highway passing (especially with A/C on) say when downshifting from 60/70mph to 80/90mph, and yes I do live in warm climate and A/C is on most of the year during afternoons and almost always on highways.

QuadBenz

+1. They do seem to be reflectors which is odd.

SoCalCLK

Mash-up is right. Looks like a large C-Class and Hyundai got together and mutated. The taillights remind me of a Toyota Avalon, and that big-star grille is just plain silly.

I'll stick with the classic W212!

K-A

Standard is reflector with halogens and then LED DRL under them. I.e the most mismatched, lowest common denominator of headlight unit.

EDIT: Not sure now. If the standards indeed ARE LED headlights, I'd obviously remove those from my list of "dislikes". However, if makes no sense as to why they'd charge so much more for the "LED Lighting Package" when the standards are already LED.

DOUBLE EDIT: So now it seems like they might be LED headlights, but with reflector technology? Odd. I'd rather have Xenons with superior projector tech in that case. Seems gimmicky.

Nuru

LOL!, now that was pretty funny LOL!

cleankutazn

They probably made the standard LED uglier on purpose as to differentiate it from the active LED. When in actuality they can look exactly the same.

ghstudio

Stopped by my dealer today to look at the 2014 e's...since my lease will be up in August. Looked at both the sport and the luxury models and I found one uglier than the other. It's the front grill....the sport is very low and harsh...will never clear curbs around here; the luxury has this black shiny plastic below the main grill and then the same cheap looking black plastic under silver plastic in the main front grill. I did like the rest of the outside. The interior reminded me of some of the earlier Mazdas...when they went through their chrome plastic on everything phase....there are bits of chrome plastic now everywhere. I pretty much decided on the spot that when my lease expires, there is just no MB to buy, other than perhaps the ML which has the current diesel engine, not the newer one and I do like the current diesel....but I don't want an SUV.

I see either a panamera or a 911 in my future....or maybe the just announced new smaller Maserati, but I doubt it will be available in time.

BM2BZ

here are couple pics of the new maserati ghibli:

ghstudio

For me, it's the most beautiful design in it's class.....I assume it will be priced with the panamera, a7, m6....it should be a winner.

BM2BZ

not panamera nor m6 range. they are making it to compete with the e class, a6 or a 5 series. it'll be very interesting. can't wait to see it in person.

ghstudio

$60-80K...not sure about engine choices..probably not the diesel for the US. I am anxious to see the first revues. My dealer thinks late 3Q/early 4Q availability.

BM2BZ

wow, you've already talked to your dealer about this ?

2-550's

Nice comparison there. Entry level E compared to 911 or panamera that are 30-50K more. And that rear on the panamera is hideous. Makes me feel sorry for the person driving it every time I see one. That new Maz looks nice but probably has even a smaller back seat than the C class.

Nuru

Insurance cost must be huge too for that Mas

klobbr

Saw a 2014 Sport Wagon at my dealer today in Palladium. Ok, now I really love my 2013 wagon, and its so much better equipped, but the 14 actually looks super cool with that color combo. Lighter colors for the 14 sports version look better than the dark IMO. Enjoy your E classes all!

snakeslayer

Very glad I went ahead and purchased my 2013. I just don't care for that new front end, especially on the sport model, at all.

nyca

Not sure what is going on with MB styling these days, they are pulling all the distinctive design elements out of each car. What they did here with the E, you've seen the new S which has very bland exterior styling now. With a larger sized W205 C coming in a year, where is the incentive to get an E if the styling offers no aesthetic edge? The W212 will not be that much larger than the W205.

AZBENZ-CTSV

Love the panny turbo
one of the nicest cars on the road.. hands down. the turbo always get's my attention by the sheer mass and the awkward but pretty cool lines of the car.
there is a blacked out one that shows at local cars & coffee event and it get's as much attention from the "peeps" as any of the exotics that show.
attention in a good way and the performance is super car worthy from a 4700lb true 4 seater with a 3.7 0-60 time and mid 11's in the 1/4 stock

alsyli

I've not driven a BMW w/ start/stop, but my understanding from articles in the various car mags is BMW's implementation is perhaps the worst of any luxury make, w/ a very disruptive and delayed start.

BMW might've been the first to introduce it in the US, but I don't know if that's the case in Europe....

Do all E-classes now use runflats (even non Bluetec models)? And is the steering lighter at all speeds, or just low speeds?

And, a totally random question, but you wouldn't happen to have noticed if the rear turn signals are yellow, would you?

K-A

Yeah I recently heard BMW's is the worst Start/Stop as well. I'm gonna go test drive a Merc with it to see how it feels. Sucks as I always felt that the S/S on my car was very crude, now I have confirmation of it.

VINBENZO

I thought you test drove the new E already? It has the Eco mode. I actually don't like it much.

Nuru

K-A, my S/S on my car is worse than any of the cars out there. It is completely manual!

K-A

I did but the first thing I did was turn Eco "off" lol. I thought it was like BMW's Eco Mode which is a very comprehensive (and cool) thing that basically maximizes all the efficiency the car can muster.... unfortunately it also slows the car down a ton which is why I didn't think it was fit for a test drive.

I wanna try one with it on now, to really gauge just how crappy BMW's is. It's really quite noticeable and unrefined how my current cars works, though I assumed/hoped that was normal throughout all car ranges.

Imagine when the starters start to break on these cars. To anyone who buys and keeps after warranty: Turning off the S/S for good probably will save you more money in the long run as you won't have to deal with repairing possibly broken parts. Though, it does do the environment good, so in that case, leave it on.

LOL. It's the ghetto-fab S/S!

alsyli

The few times car mags have mentioned the MB stop/start function, they've said it's pretty seamless. Not clear to me why BMW version isn't that good, considering that they introduced it 2008?

The alternators for stop/start cars are supposed to be beefed up to handle the extra stress. I assume something similar must happen for hybrid, and I don't think Prius owners have been complaining too much? But I don't read purposely read about Priuses (Pri-i), so I wouldn't know.... ::snort::

BTW, Car and Driver on-line has a quote from Gordon Wagener that the next C- and E-class models will have segment leading interiors. Will be interested to see what they look like....